


To the Moon!

by Annariel



Category: Primeval
Genre: Alternate Universe - Steampunk, Gen, The Moon has an Atmosphere (No Really)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-07
Updated: 2017-01-07
Packaged: 2018-09-15 12:54:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 672
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9236087
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Annariel/pseuds/Annariel
Summary: As the Earth falls to predators from the future, our valiant band must take a gamble by evacuating what's left of humanity to the pleasant surroundings of the Mare Tranquillitatis on the Moon.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [eriah211.dreamwidth.org](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=eriah211.dreamwidth.org).



> I'm not sure if this is a Steampunk AU or an AU of those late 19th century, early 20th century adventure stories in which the Moon (and Mars and so on) are just other habitable planets like the Earth.

Becker smoothed his moustache and eyed Connor's device with a dubious eye. It consisted of a large generator, a massive bank of dials and switches and a grand archway in the centre of the room that had been riveted hastily together.

"Are you certain this will work?" he asked.

"Well, no, obviously not!" Connor pushed back his goggles and ran an oil-covered hand through his hair. "But what other choice do we have?"

"None," Lester declared from where he sat. He rapped his walking cane on the floor.

Becker felt his heart constrict a little. He knew it wasn't his fault that Lester had lost a leg, but the replacement had never quite worked and Lester needed the cane for moments when the internal clockwork locked up.

Emily marched to Becker's side in a business-like fashion, her bustle sweeping along the floor. She checked over her shotgun and then looked towards Becker.

"No time like the present Captain. I suggest we make our recce quickly."

"I definitely recommend quickly. The predators are attacking Bakerloo. I don't think its defences will hold. We don't have long if we intend to do this," Jess reported. She was almost impossible to see since the ADD almost entirely encased her in a framework of brass and cloth, but Becker could see her head turning from side to side inside the helmet.

"Very well, switch it on Connor."

Connor pulled a large lever at the front of his device. Becker turned to the archway. Slowly an anomaly began to form.

"It's working," Emily breathed.

"Well let's just hope it doesn't lead to the future, or we'll have our predator friends in here sooner than expected," Lester grumbled.

"It shouldn't be a temporal anomaly at all, if my calculations are right," Connor said. "It should lead to the Moon entirely as predicted.

Lester harrumphed. "Let's just hope the Moon is as habitable as the boffins all claim."

Becker looked at the anomaly and then at Emily. "No time like the present," he said.

She nodded and together they walked through the light.

* * *

The anomaly project had started out as a scientific curiosity. The creatures that came through the rips in time were hunted and captured, appearing in menageries and circuses the length and breadth of Britain. The British government Anomaly Response Corp was in the forefront of protecting the public and capturing the creatures for science and display. All that had changed when the predators began to come through the anomalies. The first had killed over three hundred people before it was stopped. The second killed a mere seventy-eight but as more and more came through the anomalies the ability of the armed services to react reduced to the point of ineffectiveness. Now humanity was reduced to a few hundred sheltering in the underground beneath London. Becker assumed there were similar bolt holes in other countries but that had long ceased to be his concern. Their priority was to find some means of escape the tunnels to some place the predators could not reach.

Becker and Emily stepped out of the anomaly.

A fresh breeze blew across Becker's face. They stood on the shores of some kind of sea or lake. They were surrounded by tall trees of a kind unfamiliar to Becker. They were not entirely dissimilar to weeping willows. Long yellowy-bronze leaves hung down into the waters below.

"It is beautiful," Emily said.

"Connor did say he was aiming for the Mare Tranquillitatis. It looks like it lives up to its name."

Somewhere in the distance something large roared. Flying creatures circled above them in the sky. Becker squinted, if he wasn't mistaken they looked like Pterodactyls.

"Not so tranquil," Emily said.

"No sign of predators though otherwise there wouldn't be so much wildlife. I think we'll have to risk bringing everyone through. There's no hope for us on Earth."

Emily nodded her agreement. They turned back to the anomaly ready to give the signal that the evacuation could start. Humanity was moving to the Moon.


End file.
